The present invention relates generally to the art of gutter covers utilized to deflect leaves or other debris away from a rain gutter.
As is well known, rain gutters are often installed along the roof edge of a structure to collect and divert rain water flowing off the roof. A persistent problem with such gutters is that they also collect leaves and other debris, such as sticks, roof granules, pine needles and the like. The gutters must be cleared periodically to prevent the debris from interfering with normal gutter operation.
The prior art has provided several methods to reduce the need to manually clear rain gutters. For example, a gutter cover may be placed over the open trough of the rain gutter. Due to the cover's configuration, debris will be deflected off of the roof onto the ground. The rain water, on the other hand, will be directed into the gutter due to surface tension properties. Various aspects of such gutter covers are discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,775, incorporated herein by reference.
In the past, gutter covers have typically been produced of rigid material, such as aluminum. To facilitate shipment, the gutter cover material is provided in predetermined lengths that are relatively short. For example, five foot lengths of gutter cover have been utilized in a known implementation.
While yielding an effective gutter cover product, the use of rigid lengths gives rise to high labor cost and difficulty during installation. Generally, multiple pieces will be required to cover the gutter along one side of a structure. In addition to the time and labor entailed in this process, the individuals performing the installation must have a requisite degree of skill.